Obama, Hollande hail "transformed" U.S.-France alliance

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The alliance of United States and France has "transformed" and reached a new level because of closely-aligned interests and values, the countries' presidents wrote on Monday.

"A decade ago, few would have imagined our two countries working so closely together in so many ways. But in recent years our alliance has transformed," wrote U.S. President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande in a joint op-ed.

Since France's return to NATO's military command four years ago, Washington and Paris have expanded cooperation across the board and taken their alliance to a new level, read the op-ed published in The Washington Post and Le Monde newspapers on Monday, the first day of Hollande's three-day state visit to the United States.

Citing concerted efforts to tackle regional issues such as Iran 's nuclear program and the Syria conflict, the presidents wrote that deepening U.S.-France partnership offers "a model for international cooperation," as transnational challenges cannot be met by any one nation alone.

"Perhaps nowhere is our new partnership on more vivid display than in Africa," read the op-ed, adding that the United States and France are partnering to combat al-Qaida-linked insurgents in Mali and across the Sahel and stem violence in Central African Republic.

In addition to a "revitalized" alliance on the world stage, the two countries are working to deepen bilateral economic relationship, the presidents wrote.

France is one of America's top export markets, and the United States is the largest customer for French goods outside the European Union (EU), according to the article.

The trade partnership between the EU and the United States would result in more trade, jobs and export opportunities as well as build a lasting foundation to promote the global economic recovery, read the article.

The two leaders also called for an "ambitious and inclusive" global agreement that reduces greenhouse gas emissions through concrete actions.

"The climate summit organized by the U.N. secretary general this September will give us the opportunity to reaffirm our ambitions for the climate conference in Paris," read the op-ed.

The United States and France can do more to help developing countries shift to low-carbon energy and deal with rising seas and more intense storms, wrote the presidents.